Aquino won unprecedented control of the two chambers of Congress. Most crucial was control of the Senate, with Aquino allies on May 15 on track to win nine of 12 seats contested with 80 per cent of the votes counted to give the president a comfortable majority that would allow him to much more easily pass legislation.

Final Senate results are expected by late May 15.

Aquino won a landslide election victory in 2010 on a platform to fight corruption and improve the standard of governance, problems widely blamed for crushing poverty that most of the nation’s nearly 95 million people endure. He was widely credited at home and abroad for a successful start to the massive task, and he remains one of the most popular presidents in the country’s history.

However, his political opponents have noted that although the economy has expanded, job growth has been flat and poverty levels have not improved. His critics also say corruption remains endemic, particularly low-level graft that most directly affects the poor.

Furthermore, wins for a host of controversial candidates, including members of the Marcos clan and controversial former president Joseph Estrada, who is now the new mayor of Manila, underlined what critics said were the many problems still facing the Philippines’ young democracy.

Aquino won unprecedented control of the two chambers of Congress. Most crucial was control of the Senate, with Aquino allies on May 15 on track to win nine of 12 seats contested with 80 per cent of the votes counted to give the president a comfortable majority that would allow him to much more easily pass legislation.

Final Senate results are expected by late May 15.

Aquino won a landslide election victory in 2010 on a platform to fight corruption and improve the standard of governance, problems widely blamed for crushing poverty that most of the nation’s nearly 95 million people endure. He was widely credited at home and abroad for a successful start to the massive task, and he remains one of the most popular presidents in the country’s history.

However, his political opponents have noted that although the economy has expanded, job growth has been flat and poverty levels have not improved. His critics also say corruption remains endemic, particularly low-level graft that most directly affects the poor.

Furthermore, wins for a host of controversial candidates, including members of the Marcos clan and controversial former president Joseph Estrada, who is now the new mayor of Manila, underlined what critics said were the many problems still facing the Philippines’ young democracy.